Those of us who need to use a hearing aid know how convenient a hearing aid is. With a hearing aid, we would be able to hear many things which, due to some reason or another, our ears are no longer able to pick up. On the other hand, a hearing aid could also be a nuisance for some, since a hearing aid picks up every kind of sound, near and far. The hearing aid, unlike the human ear, is not discerning and does not have selective hearing, whereas our human ear has selective hearing, since it filters out unnecessary noises and only lets in what needs to be heard.
In a way, today's reading shows us how we too could become so selective in our hearing when it comes to things we don't like to hear. In the reading, Amaziah the priest of Bethel reacted to Amos by telling him: "Go away seer; get back to the land of Judah; earn your bread there, do your prophesying there. We want no more prophesying in Bethel." Amaziah did not like what Amos was saying, since much of what Amos said was unpleasant to hear and as if impending doom was approaching. But Amos was saying such things not because he liked to or wanted to, but as a warning to change one's ways, by responding to a call of conversion and repentance.
What about us? Are we still so stubborn and proud to listen to God's voice, and filter out things which makes us uncomfortable or disturbs us? Let us be reminded that at times, we need to discard our selective hearing, so that God's soft promptings could be heard, and we could learn from Him and grow closer to Him, for the good of our eternal future.
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